Case Study: Cloud-Based Smart Applications Management for AB Pty. Ltd

This case study examines the implementation of a cloud-based smart application for the AB Pty. Ltd delivery system. The assignment focuses on improving service quality and delivery efficiency through the use of IBM's Bluemix platform. The solution involves developing a smart application to track delivery vehicles, optimize delivery routes, and provide real-time updates to users. The project utilizes various components such as the IoT platform, Node-RED for data analytics and a visual dashboard to monitor vehicle speed and performance. The case study details the steps involved in setting up the Bluemix environment, integrating IoT services, configuring telemetry, and designing a geospatial analytics service. The goal is to increase the number of deliveries with existing trucks and address the challenges of timely deliveries and customer satisfaction. The case study also covers the justification for the chosen solution and the difficulties encountered during the implementation process.

Cloud Based Smart Applications Management
(Case Study of AB Pty. Ltd Delivery System)
Executive Summary

A truck delivery system has to be updated for the better services. In this method they have
to improve the service quality and the efficiency of the delivery to a maximum extent. The
company has some zone and they have to delivery in the zones in time and update the
users. The delivery direction has been divided into four ways and this task has been further carried
out by the NODE-RED function node. The number of deliveries must be increased as many as
possible with the existing trucks. Finally, by the use of NODE-RED a visual dashboard is
created which helps in increasing the speed Gauge and the speed chart system of a certain
delivery vehicle.
Contents

1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................4
1.1 Cloud Computing based services with Blue mix...........................................................................5
Description to the problem:..............................................................................................................5
1.3 Solution to the Problem...............................................................................................................5
1.4 Aim..............................................................................................................................................6
1.5 Objectives....................................................................................................................................6
1.6 Project Plan..................................................................................................................................6
2. Bluemix Smart app development and Telemetry.............................................................................6
2.1 Blue Mix: App build requirement.................................................................................................7
Step 1. Blue mix: IoT service instance creation..............................................................................8
Step 2. Configuration of the IoT Foundation...............................................................................11
2.4 Telemetry using BlueMix Smart app..............................................................................................12
Step 3. Deployment and Configuration of connected through vehicle starter kit using Bluemix12
Step 4. Geospatial analytics service using analytics....................................................................14
Step 5. Tester Application...........................................................................................................15
Step 5. Tester Application...........................................................................................................15
Step 6. Creation of Node-RED analytics application based system..............................................15
3. Justification......................................................................................................................................18
4. Difficulties and Challenges...............................................................................................................22
Private cloud services......................................................................................................................22
5. Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................22
6. References.......................................................................................................................................23
7. Appendix..........................................................................................................................................24
Starting with the Watson IoT Platform...........................................................................................25
Before you begin..........................................................................................................................25
About this task..............................................................................................................................26
Step 1: Connect your devices.....................................................................................................26
Step 2: Analyze your device data..............................................................................................27
Step 3: Create applications to consume your device data....................................................27

1. Introduction
A truck delivery system has to be updated for the better services. In this method they have to
improve the service quality and the efficiency of the delivery to a maximum extent. The company
has some zone and they have to delivery in the zones in time and update the users. The number of
deliveries must be increased as many as possible with the existing trucks. The delivery direction has
been divided into four ways and this task has been further carried out by the NODE-RED function
node (Dillon, Wu, and Chang, 2010).
Here the application is done with the Bluemix software. Bluemix belongs to IBM Company. The
Bluemix is a cloud platform. In this cloud they use PaaS as service. They use PaaS for building the
application, then for running the application and finally managing the application on the cloud. To
simulate the connected vehicles a smart app is to be developed. For performing this task Bluemix is
used. IBM has helped in developing this cloud platform. This helps in supporting for the production

of services to the system and integrated DevOps for designing, building, running, implementation
and following of the applications that are present in the cloud. Cloud Foundry open technology is
the technology upon which the Bluemix is based.
1.1 Cloud Computing based services with Blue mix
Bluemix support the many programming languages and services. They also use the integrated
development apps for building the applications, running application and maintaining the application.
The Bluemix is generally a cloud foundry, which is a open technology run on the basis of soft layer
infrastructure. Bluemix supports many of the programming languages like Modems, JAVA, Swift,
Python, etc... The Bluemix from IBM is a cloud platform which helps to solve the realistic problems
and runs the business applications, infrastructures and the services. The services can be integrated in
this with the infrastructure and data readily stored ( Zhou, Zhang, Xie, Qian, and Zho, 2010). It
manages your business data and scales your business data. It simplifies the business and the data
will be helpful to understand the problem, to reason it out for learning.
Standards of Cloud computing
Many companies like the IBM Blue cloud technology provides the cloud computing service. Linking
of the computers of all system can be done which is based upon the open standards and the open
source software.
Description to the problem:
The main problem faced by the companies are, they are not able to deliver the order in time making
the customers unsatisfied by the late deliveries. Increase in the demands of the product has made
the company face many problems which initially leads to the delayed delivery of the services making
the queue for delivery much more longer. This makes the trucks to deliver 3 times a day instead of 5
times a day.
1.3 Solution to the Problem
Solution to the problem can be provided by the use of software applications. These applications can
help in tracking the status of the delivery vehicles. Initially this will help in updating the status on the
system thereby helping in giving instructions to the delivery vehicles according to the current status
of the system which is detected by the application. This can help in saving the time as well as the
increase in accessibility.

1.4 Aim
Aim of the project is to create a cloud based system. It will be synthesized using simulation
environment. It is created using IBM Blue Mix for smart application and to design in cloud based
environment.
1.5 Objectives
Analysis of the problem faced by the business
For the simulation of the problem a cloud based application is to be deployed.
Designing of a Node-RED based visual tool for debugging of the telemetry data from the simulation
result
1.6 Project Plan
The main focus of the project is to develop the software applications. This project is based upon the
development of the smart applications that can help the company for the easy tracking of the
delivery vehicles. IBM BlueMix provides the essential facilities for the designing of the applications.
The system facility is provided by IBM Blue Mix in order to design the application. Besides this
designing of a strong database has been done for the purpose of recording the status according to
the date and the time. Setting of the AB Truck scheduling system for handling purpose of different
types of products and for creating a connection between them using the smart application for
vehicles.
2. Bluemix Smart app development and Telemetry
Deploying and extending of the Internet of Things (IoT) on BlueMix helps in carrying out of the task.
The Bluemix will allow choosing the correct model for your work for the correct work load. There are
many workloads. In which specific work load must use its specific applications. And hence Bluemix
will help to choose the correct compute model for the workload. Bluemix has a power to provide
service to any workload. Vehicle simulator, html5 applications are included in the vehicle kit for the
management of the vehicles on the map and the Bluemix’s geospatial analytics service along with
Node-RED for analytics (Dillon, Wu, and Chang, 2010).
Here the application is done with the blue mix software. Blue mix belongs to IBM company. The blue
mix is a cloud platform; in this cloud they use PsaS service. They use PaaS for building the
application, then for running the application and finally managing the application on the cloud. Blue
mix support the many programming languages and services. They also use the integrated
development apps for building the applications, running application and maintaining the application

(Yang and Chen, 2010). The blue mix is generally a cloud foundry, which is an open technology run
on the basis of soft layer infrastructure. Blue mix supports many of the programming languages like
Nodes, JAVA, Swift, Python, etc... The Blue mix from IBM is a cloud platform which helps to solve the
realistic problems and runs the business applications, infrastructures and the services. The services
can be integrated in this with the infrastructure and data readily stored. It manages your business
data and scales your business data. It simplifies the business and the data will be helpful to
understand the problem, to reason it out for learning.
2.1 Blue Mix: App build requirement
For linking with the given ID a Blue mix account and a service account is used.
2.2 Layout and components of smart app
Fig 1: Layout of Smart App Design
The time factor also must be kept in mind in this process. The time is very crucial in the
transportation field. As the time is running the delivery must be also delivered to the users without
fail. The products delivered also must be correct without any confusion. In some cases the wrong
products will be delivered, so such confusion must be avoided. If the wrong products were delivered
then company must take the complete responsibility for the correct product to be delivered. During
this time what might happen is the product delivery time will be double or triple. Because the first
product is wrong product and then must return it back and load the new product again. Hence the

second new correct product must be loaded and send to user. In this process again the end user
must acknowledge the correct product (Zhang, Zhang, Chen, and Huo, 2010). The fuel charges and
the driver charges also doubled which is loss to the any company. Hence the loading of the correct
product is always necessary. This will in turn saves the time and improves the efficiency of the
company. To avoid all these problems, we must develop an app to improve the truck delivery
system. The vehicle numbers, driver and other staff names with the product details along with the
source address and the destination address also included as a database management. The contact
details of the destinations are also included with the tracking details provided for both servers and
the customers. The tracking details will help both of them to solve most of the problems because if
any wrong product is loaded initially that can be detected. So this will save both money and time.
The data can be brought together with the help of cloud and make the multiple data in a single
stream for the service aspects. The is a very quick process and an inexpensive way. This is a cutting
edge technology for the IT and software industry for the data management in an efficient manner
(Peng, Zhang, Lei, Zhang, Zhang, and Li, 2009). There 3 critical ways in which the hybrid Bluemix
cloud delivers. Once upon a time the blue mix is a cost saving process but now it is an innovative
process also. This will help the organisation to integrate its data, its applications and their services in
a best way. The workloads also managed in a proper way. This makes many applications portable. It
also has the capability to change the pace of the business. The choice of the development is given 3
different ways, they are compute the way for instant scalability in the public, performance of the
dedicated services and the control of the local. Some of the readymade products and the services
discussed below. Initially the data and the applications used to run on the servers. Then the virtual
servers were introduced for the data and apps. Latter these servers have changed to server less
models. The Bluemix also helps to build one of the best mobile applications. The mobile based
infrastructure will help to develop the powerful application for the work management process.
2.3 Smart app design based process and Telemetry using Blue mix
Connection by the Bluemix IoT with the telemetry design and the link configuration for the complete
system. Step by step process and monitoring of the system is performed as mentioned.
Step 1. Blue mix: IoT service instance creation
For Accessing, the first step includes Logging in to Bluemix. A service tag is seen in the dashboard,
that is ADD A SERVICE. Initially, from the system service catalogue the Internet of Things is chosen.

The plan of process is selected which is Free and then clicking needs to be done on the CREATE tab
for the creation of the services. The selection of Newly created service is done.

After this process, the launching process of the IoT foundation dashboard is completed. This opens
in the same location where the registration is done so as to generate the API keys for creation of the

application. Maps uses the API keys which are generated using Tester apps. This helps in connecting
with the IoT Foundation.
Step 2. Configuration of the IoT Foundation
Thereafter, by the use of a unique device a device type is created from the organization dashboard’s
device page. After that the next page will show the credentials or features that are to be entered the
device. Similarly done for other devices. Connection can be done by the use of their credentials.

2.4 Telemetry using BlueMix Smart app
Step 3. Deployment and Configuration of connected through vehicle starter kit using Bluemix
The source code that is basically for the IoT starter kit which is stored in the IoT-vehicle-geospatial-
starter-kit project on the developer’s service. It is then followed by the instructions that allows the
creation of a ZIP file of the code. After downloading of the file in the PC it is extracted.
a. Click on the EDIT CODE option on the IoT-connected-vehicle-starter-kit project.
b. Then saving the file using highlight the root of the source tree and click File -> Export -> Zip
on the menu and then save the file locally that has been downloaded. After that Extract the
Zip file.
c. For name fields, Open the manifest.yml.file and host name is entered.
d. Open config/settings.js. This file stores the device and the API key configuration data.
 Enter vehicle for IoT deviceType.
 Entering of the six-character organisation for iot_deviceOrg (for example, O4ze1w).
 For iot_deviceSet, entering the ID and tokens for the three devices that was registered.
 For iot_apiKey, enter the API key that was created.
 For iot_apiToken, there after enter the API key token.
These are the various configuration parameters that are used in by the Geospatial analytics service
providers.
e. Saving the change
For the extracted applications, the files and the sources can be stored by the use of the root
directory. for the extracted application, the file and the sources can be saved. After Typing cf login
and the prompts need to be followed, entering https://api.ng. Bluemix.net is used for the API
endpoint and it collects email address of the Blue mix ID and the password according to the login
credentials. cf push is typed on the Bluemix for deploying the application. The developed
application, runs the map app at http://app-name.mybluemix.net. The vehicle that has been
simulated can be seen on the maps after this process.